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The Holy Spirit

Explore the Spirit’s presence, gifts and fruit in community.

1. 1. Read and discover - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   John 14:15-27

   ¹⁵ If you love me, keep my commandments.

   ¹⁶ I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever:

   ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive, for it doesn’t see him and doesn’t know him. You know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

   ¹⁸ I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you.

   ¹⁹ Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more; but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also.

   ²⁰ In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

   ²¹ One who has my commandments and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him.”

   ²² Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, what has happened that you are about to reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?”

   ²³ Jesus answered him, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

   ²⁴ He who doesn’t love me doesn’t keep my words. The word which you hear isn’t mine, but the Father’s who sent me.

   ²⁵ “I have said these things to you while still living with you.

   ²⁶ But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you.

   ²⁷ Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Before departing Jesus promises the Spirit’s presence and teaching; comfort is joined to love and remembering his words.

   Reflect

   • Which roles does Jesus attribute to the Spirit?

   Put it into practice

   Reread a teaching of Jesus before a difficult decision.

   Next lesson →

2. 2. Pentecost and languages - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Acts 2:1-13

   ¹ Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place.

   ² Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

   ³ Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them.

   ⁴ They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.

   ⁵ Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky.

   ⁶ When this sound was heard, the multitude came together and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language.

   ⁷ They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Behold, aren’t all these who speak Galileans?

   ⁸ How do we hear, everyone in our own native language?

   ⁹ Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia,

   ¹⁰ Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,

   ¹¹ Cretans and Arabians—we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!”

   ¹² They were all amazed and were perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

   ¹³ Others, mocking, said, “They are filled with new wine.”

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   The Spirit enables people from different nations to hear God’s mighty works; linguistic diversity becomes a space for communication.

   Reflect

   • Who can hear and understand in this account?

   Put it into practice

   Make a conversation accessible to someone speaking another language.

   Next lesson →

3. 3. Different gifts, one common good - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   1 Corinthians 12:4-11

   ⁴ Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.

   ⁵ There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord.

   ⁶ There are various kinds of workings, but the same God who works all things in all.

   ⁷ But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all.

   ⁸ For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit,

   ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,

   ¹⁰ and to another workings of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of languages, and to another the interpretation of languages.

   ¹¹ But the one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing to each one separately as he desires.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Paul attributes different gifts to the same Spirit and directs them toward common benefit; diversity does not justify rivalry.

   Reflect

   • How can different gifts benefit the whole community?

   Put it into practice

   Recognize and support another person’s ability without competing.

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4. 4. The fruit of the Spirit - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Galatians 5:22-23

   ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,

   ²³ gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Paul describes qualities of life led by the Spirit, not a checklist for ranking others’ spiritual worth.

   Reflect

   • Which fruit of the Spirit would you like to practice more in a particular relationship?

   Put it into practice

   Choose a relationship in which to practice patience or kindness this week.

   Next lesson →

5. 5. Children and heirs - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Romans 8:14-17

   ¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God.

   ¹⁵ For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

   ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God;

   ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Paul describes adoption rather than slavery to fear; belonging includes shared suffering and hope.

   Reflect

   • How does Paul use adoption to describe a relationship with God?

   Put it into practice

   Welcome someone without making dignity depend on performance.